Baking · serves 2

Russian Black Bread

Molasses, coffee, chocolate and rye. Almost black, and it tastes of none of those things.

150 min A proper cook Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 600ml lukewarm water
  • 14g dried yeast
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 85g molasses
  • 75g butter, softened
  • 60ml strong coffee
  • 30g dark chocolate
  • 60ml apple cider vinegar
  • 60g wholemeal flour
  • 410g rye flour
  • 395g strong white bread flour
  • 125g wheat bran
  • 2 tbsp caraway seeds
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped

Method

  1. Bloom the yeast and sugar in 100ml of the water, 5 minutes.
  2. Warm the remaining water with molasses, butter, coffee and chocolate until melted and combined, then stir in the vinegar. Do not boil it.
  3. Cool completely. Hot liquid kills yeast.
  4. Mix all three flours with the bran, caraway, fennel, salt and shallot.
  5. Both liquids into the dry, mixed to a dough.
  6. Knead 10 minutes. Rye dough never feels as smooth as wheat — don't over-knead chasing it.
  7. Prove 1-2 hours, shape into two round loaves, prove again.
  8. 180°C for an hour.

Questions people ask about Russian Black Bread

How long does Russian Black Bread take?

About 150 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is a proper cook. A good part of that is unattended, so you can get on with something else once it is going.

What is the one thing to get right in Russian Black Bread?

Warm the remaining water with molasses, butter, coffee and chocolate until melted and combined, then stir in the vinegar. Do not boil it.

Can I make Russian Black Bread ahead of time?

Yes, and it is better for it. Cool it fully, refrigerate for up to three days, and reheat gently with a splash of water. The flavours settle overnight.

Is Russian Black Bread vegetarian?

Yes, it is vegetarian. It is not vegan as written because it contains dairy; swap the dairy for a plant alternative and the rest of the method is unchanged.

Do I need an oven for Russian Black Bread?

Yes, this one needs an oven. If you do not have one, look at the no-oven filter on the baking page: eleven of the bakes here are built for a cooker, a pan or the fridge.

What do you serve with Russian Black Bread?

On its own, warm, with tea or coffee. Baking is chemistry, so scale it by weight rather than by eye: double every quantity, use a tin with roughly double the area, and expect to add ten minutes or so. Judge it by the skewer, not the clock.

Don't know what to cook? Let it decide →

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